Manually operated spring loaded jack lock assembly

ABSTRACT

A spring-biased plunger, preferably if not always assisted by fixed jacks, supports a workpiece to be mechanically operated on forcibly by a metalworking or like machine. The plunger is spring-urged upwardly, then supported in an upwardly adjusted position by clamping elements of a clamp device which are actuated toward one another in opposite horizontal directions by manually operated screw means. As thus clamped in a positive preliminary way, a wedge device, as coordinately operated through a toggle type member in synchronism with the clamp device, comes into action beneath the plunger to rigidly sustain the same.

United States Patent 1191 Claycomb MANUALLY OPERATED SPRING LOADED JACK LOCK ASSEMBLY Dean A. Claycomb, 3921 W. Townhall Rd., Traverse City, Mich. 49684 [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 387,482

[76] Inventor:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1970 Claycomb 269/309 2/1974 Bondie 269/310 [11] 3,829,078 1451 Aug. 13, 1974 Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap ABSTRACT A spring-biased plunger, preferably if not always assisted by fixed jacks, supports a workpiece to be mechanically operated on forcibly by a metalworking or like machine. The plunger is spring-urged upwardly, then supported in an upwardly adjusted position by clamping elements of a clamp device which are actuated toward one another in opposite horizontal directions by manually operated screw means. As thus clamped in a positive preliminary way, a wedge device, as coordinately operated through a toggle type member in synchronism with the clamp device, comes into action beneath the plunger to rigidly sustain the 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MANUALLY OPERATED SPRING LOADED JACK LOCK ASSEMBLY CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION My co-pending application Ser. No. 387,484, filed Aug. 10, 1973, discloses a similar type of movable plunger jack device in which clamping and wedging components are operated automatically under hydraulic pressure and check valve control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The improvement of the invention finds wide application in many types of metalworking operations in which very heavy forces are applied on a workpiece and must be rigidly sustained without movement of the piece.

2. Description of the Prior Art My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,701 of Nov. 3, 1970 discloses a generally similar workpiece supporting assembly, also operated under manual control; and the same is true of my later U.S. Pat., No. 3,690,641 of Sept. 12, 1972, although the device thereof operates under hydraulic power.

Cleveland Reissue U.S. Pat. No. 23,732 of Nov. 10, 1953, Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 1,254,044 of Jan. 22, 1918, and Ranney U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,075 of May 30, 1961 show the use of a spring-biased plunger in a work support; and Lyon U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,250 of Dec. 12, 1922 and Sternbergh U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,764 of Dec. 14, 1954 utilize a simple type of wedge lock for a work support. I am unaware of other prior art more pertinent than the above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improvement of the invention incorporates a pair of oppositely acting locking sleeves which are threadedly operated toward one another in an axial direction along a manually rotated control rod or stud, thus to clamp 21 spring-biased workpiece supporting plunger in place after it has taken supporting engagement beneath the piece. The clamping force derives directly from a toggle connection reactively backstopping one of the locking sleeves; and said toggle sequentially exerts axial force, after the sleeves have initially gripped the plunger, upon a second, horizontally acting wedging plunger to drive the latter into wedging locked engagement beneath the workpiece supporting plunger, thus to positively prevent a retrograde downward motion of the latter under heavy load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of the jack lock assembly or device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section along the longitudinal centerline of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view transversely sectioned vertically on broken line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view in transverse vertical section on line 44 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The jack assembly or device of the invention, as generally designated 10, comprises an elongated body 12 adapted, as at 13, tobe bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened on a horizontal work support table or fixture (not shown), in the manner illustrated and described in my patents and application mentioned above, to support from beneath a casting or other workpiece to be machined. As also disclosed in said patents and application, there may be a number of the assemblies 10 employed for the purpose, in some cases to supplement the support afforded by solid supports.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the body 12 has an upper horizontal cylindrical bore 14 and a vertical cylindrical bore 15, which bores intersect one another in a zone medial of the length of the body. The vertical bore 15 extends through a tubular boss 16 which extends vertically upwardly from the body 12, being welded or otherwise secured thereto and thus the inner wall of boss 16 forms a part of the vertical bore 15.

The jack assembly 10 further includes a generally cylindrical one piece plunger 18 having cylindrical top and bottom portions 17 and 19 respectively as shown in FIG. 2. The plunger 18, intermediate its cylindrical ends, is machined or milled at diametrically opposite sides thereof to provide relatively flat and inclined locking surfaces 20, which converge upwardly or outwardly, as shown in FIG. 2. The locking surfaces 20 are separated by cylindrical surfaces provided on the plunger 18 which, along with the cylindrical top and bottom portions 17 and 19, engage the cylindrical bore 15. Locking surfaces 20 are inclined at the same angle, which is preferably about 6, and the plunger 18 is provided diametrically across the surfaces 20 with a vertically elongated accommodation slot 21. This provides a transverse passageway for the reception of a horizontally movable actuating rod 22, the function of which is later described.

The plunger 18 is provided with an axial bore 23 extending downward from an upper closed end thereof. It also has a cylindrical spring can or element 24 movable longitudinally in said bore 23, the can being formed with a closed bottom or blind bore 25; and a biasing spring 26 is located in said bore 25, having its upper end in pressure contact with the top of plunger bore 23. The can 24 is held in bore 23 by means of a transversely extending pin 27 located at the inner end portion of the plunger 18 as shown in FIG. 2. Pin 27 is engageable with actuating rod 22 and is thus adapted to limit upward travel or movement of the post or plunger 18. Pin 27 also retains the plunger 18, spring can 24 and spring 26 of the post assembly together. The plunger 18 has a slanted wedge bottom surface 29 for a purpose to be described.

The top end of plunger 18 is provided with a socket 31 adapted to receive a locator or locating button (not shown) which will have supporting engagement with the bottom of a workpiece to be sustained by the device 10.

An annular rubber dirt shield or boot shield 33 has its lower, inwardly turned annular flange 34 resiliently interlocked and anchored in an annular groove 35 of top body extension 16 and a corresponding but smaller diameter internal flange 36 of boot 33 similarly interlocks in a groove adjacent the top of theplunger 18.

The horizontally elongated actuating rod 22 of the assembly 10 is threaded on its inner end at 37, as shown in FIG. 2; and a pair of longitudinally aligned and axially spaced cylindrical locking sleeves 38 and 39 are slidable in horizontal cylindrical bore 14 of body 12 on opposite sides of vertical plunger 18. The end 37 of actuating rod 22 is threadedly connected in a threaded bore of the sleeve 39, and the end surface 40 of sleeve 39 adjacent the plunger 18 is inclined at a locking angle (such for example as 6) corresponding to the locking angle on the adjacent locking surface 20 of plunger 18. The sleeve 39 is also formed with an elongated slot or keyway 41 (FIG. 2) which extends the entire sleeve length. A guide pin 42 carried by the body 12 extends into the keyway 41 to prevent the sleeve 39 from rotating as shown in FIG. 2.

The other sleeve 38 has an internal smooth bore 43 through which actuating rod 22 slidably extends; and the end surface 44 of sleeve 38 adjacent the plunger 18 is inclined at a locking angle (such for example as 6) corresponding to the locking angle on the other locking surfaces of the plunger 18 and sleeve 39. Sleeve 38 is also formed with an elongated slot or keyway 45 (FIG. 2) which extends from the inclined locking end surface 44 through the axial length of sleeve 38. A guide pin 46 carried by body 12 extends into the keyway 45 to prevent rotation of the sleeve 38.

An internally threaded nut-like projection or element 47 is welded to the right-hand (FIG-2) of the body 12 of the jack assembly 10, in a partially covering relation to upper body bore 14, and a pipe plug 48 is threadedly connected to and closes the bore of element 47. Said bore thus affords an access opening to one end of body 12 for purpose of assembly, servicing or the like.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 best illustrate the assembly body 12 as being formed directly beneath its horizontal bore 14 and parallel to the latter with a second elongated bore 50, the bores 14, 50 extending a major portion of the axial length of body 12 but terminating well short of the left-hand end of the body, as viewed in FIG. 2. That end is covered by a full-size end plate 51 bolted to the body proper by a pair of elongated studs 52, leaving a generous cylindrical space 53 in body 12 between plate 51 and the adjacent ends of the bores 14 and 50, for a purpose to be described.

Bore 50 slidably receives an elongated piston-like wedge member 55 which presents at its inner end an elongated flat wedging surface 56. This surface is wedgingly engageable upon movement of piston 55 to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, with the correspondingly angled or slanted bottom surface 29 of the plunger 18. Thus the wedge member 55 when in an operative position such as is illustrated in FIG. 2 affords a strong and positive support for the work-supporting plunger 18 once the latter has been gripped and clamped between the respective tapered surfaces 44, of sleeves 38, 39. The action is similar in point of sequence to what is described in my co-pending application, referred to above.

As viewed in FIGS. 2, the right hand end of bore is closed by a plug 49 which is welded to body 12. The plug 49 has an extension 49' which extends into bore 50. An elongated coil compression spring 57 is piloted on an elongated guide pin 58 disposed in a short bore 58' formed in the plug-like inner integral extension 49' of the plug 49. This plug is welded to the body 12 after the bores 12 and 50 have been machined and the extension 49 inserted into the right-hand end of body 12 as shown. The inner end of the plug extension 49' has a vertical cylindrical surface 80 for receiving the plunger 18 and providing a back up means for any side pressure exerted on plunger 18. Plug extension 49' also has a tapered flat surface 82 engageable with the wedge member 55 to limit the travel of the latter. Thus the extension 49' functions to take the side thrust exerted on plunger 18 by the wedge member 55 as the latter comes into play and also to limit the travel of wedge'member The spring 57 is received to the left (FIG. 2) in an aligned bore 60 in the wedge member 55, and acts to return-bias the latter to the left upon cessation of forces which impel the clamp sleeves 38, 39 and the wedge member 55 for their respective sequential plungerclamping and plunger-sustaining actions, by means to be described.

Wedge member 55 is provided along its length and at one side thereof with a keyway or slot 61, into which a guide pin 62 on body 12 extends to prevent rotation of the wedge member as it is operated axially in bore 50.

The actuator rod 22 extends through the body space 53 to the left of bores 14 and 50, and the outer end of rod 22 is provided with a cylindrical actuator 64 which runs rotatively in a cylindrical hole 65 in the body end plate 51, extending a short distance into body space 53. As shown in FIG. 2, a cross-pin 66 external of end plate 51 locks actuator rod 22 to cylindrical actuator 64 for rotation by the latter. The plate 51 is grooved at 67 about its through hole 65 to receive a suitable anti-, friction seal.

The actuator member 64 has a reduced-diameter outer extension 68 which fits into an axial bore 69 of the hub portion of a handle member 70; and a pin 71 operatively connects handle 70 to the actuator extension 68, hence to actuator 64 and rod 22. By such means the rod 22 is rotated in one direction or the other in the operation of the jack lock device or assembly 10. A generally similar handle arrangement is shown and described in my above-identified US Pat. No. 3,537,701.

Finally, and as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a specially shaped toggle-type force-transmitter or member 72 is disposed in the body space 53 to operate the clamping sleeve pair 38, 39 in a desired sequence which is described in my co-pending application identifled above. Toggle 72 is provided with an endwise clearance hole 73 through which the actuator rod 22 extends; and just above said hole the toggle 72 is formed with a contact nose 74 which bears to the right (FIG. 2) against the flat left-hand surface of the plunger locking or clamping sleeve 38.

A force-receiving bulge 75 formed on transmitter toggle 72, adjacent and spanning the latters rod clearance hole 73, engages to the left against the flat surface of the handle-operated actuator member 64; and the toggle 72 terminates downwardly, in vertical alignment beneath hole 73, in an elongated arcuate portion 76 of reduced width presenting a second actuator nose 77. This bears to the right against the flat end surface of the wedge member 55, as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of ears 78 formed integrally on wedge 55 project into the body space 53, straddling the toggle portion 76 to restrain the toggle against lateral shift in the space. They may also serve to abut against the end plate 51. FIG. 3 shows the toggle 72 in a release position.

The proportioning of the toggle member in its disposition shown in that figure is such that, after overcoming at its lower nose 77 the force exerted by return spring 57 on wedge 55, the toggle has an approximate 4:1 leverage arm ratio in applying clamp sleeve-closing force to the clamp sleeve pair 38, 39.

In operation, upon rotation of actuator rod 22 and resultant threading shift of the locking sleeve 39 to the left, the other sleeve 38, in reactive engagement operatively with toggle part 72 and actuator member 64, simultaneously moves an equal extent to the right, thus resulting in a pinching action by said sleeves on the plunger 18. It is only after the sleeves have taken such clamping engagement with the plunger 18 that the wedge 55 is forced to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, to provide the desired rigid support for the plunger 18 at the wedge surfaces 29 and 56. Thus a sequential action is completed in which plunger 18 is first pushed downwardly against the bias of spring 26 by a workpiece to a desired height, the locking sleeves 38, 39 have clamped plunger 18, and wedge member 55 has underbuttressed the plunger.

What is claimed is:

l. A work supporting and locking device comprising a body having a pair of intersecting bores, a plunger movable in one of said bores for supporting engagement with a workpiece or like part and extending into the other bore, a locking device movable in said other bore for clamping and restraining engagement with said plunger, said body having a further bore, a member movable in said further bore for sustaining engagement with said plunger in a supporting engagement of the latter with said part, and actuating means operatively engageable with said locking device in said other bore and with said sustaining member in said further bore to operate them in timed relation to one another, said actuating means comprising an externally operated togglelike member disposed in said body and having portions engageable with said locking device and said sustaining member to so operate the same.

2. The device of claim 1, in which said externally operated member is a wedge operable in said further body bore to engage and rigidly support and sustain said plunger in the workpiece-sustaining position of the plunger.

3. The device of claim 2, in which said further bore receives said wedge for operation parallel to the operation of said locking device in said other body bore.

4. The supporting device of claim 2, in which said locking device comprises a pair of clamp members movable in opposite directions in said other bore for clamping engagement with opposite sides of said plunger.

5. The device of claim 2, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with said locking device and with said wedge.

6. The device of claim 3, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with said locking device and with said wedge.

7. The device of claim 4, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with one of the clamp members of said locking device and with said wedge.

8. The device of claim 5, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said locking device and said wedge in that order.

9. The device of claim 6, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said locking device and said wedge in that order.

10. The device of claim 7, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said one clamp member and said wedge in that order.

11. The device of claim 4, in which said locking device further includes a rod threadedly engageable in said body with one of said clamp-members to oppositely move said members for said plunger engagement.

12. The device of claim 10, in which said locking device further includes a rod threadedly engageable in said body with one of said clamp members to oppositely move said members for said plunger engagement. l= 

1. A work supporting and locking device comprising a body having a pair of intersecting bores, a plunger movable in one of said bores for supporting engagement with a workpiece or like part and extending into the other bore, a locking device movable in said other bore for clamping and restraining engagement with said plunger, said body having a further bore, a member movable in said further bore for sustaining engagement with said plunger in a supporting engagement of the latter with said part, and actuating means operatively engageable with said locking device in said other bore and with said sustaining member in said further bore to operaTe them in timed relation to one another, said actuating means comprising an externally operated togglelike member disposed in said body and having portions engageable with said locking device and said sustaining member to so operate the same.
 2. The device of claim 1, in which said externally operated member is a wedge operable in said further body bore to engage and rigidly support and sustain said plunger in the workpiece-sustaining position of the plunger.
 3. The device of claim 2, in which said further bore receives said wedge for operation parallel to the operation of said locking device in said other body bore.
 4. The supporting device of claim 2, in which said locking device comprises a pair of clamp members movable in opposite directions in said other bore for clamping engagement with opposite sides of said plunger.
 5. The device of claim 2, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with said locking device and with said wedge.
 6. The device of claim 3, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with said locking device and with said wedge.
 7. The device of claim 4, in which said toggle-like member of said actuating means is disposed in said body to operate in engagement with one of the clamp members of said locking device and with said wedge.
 8. The device of claim 5, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said locking device and said wedge in that order.
 9. The device of claim 6, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said locking device and said wedge in that order.
 10. The device of claim 7, in which said toggle-like member has sequential operation on said one clamp member and said wedge in that order.
 11. The device of claim 4, in which said locking device further includes a rod threadedly engageable in said body with one of said clamp members to oppositely move said members for said plunger engagement.
 12. The device of claim 10, in which said locking device further includes a rod threadedly engageable in said body with one of said clamp members to oppositely move said members for said plunger engagement. 